All posts by erik

Cingular, oh so helpful, cingular

dingular.jpgSo I got a text message on my phone from Cingular earlier. I can’t even begin to know what to say about their message to me:

CingFreeMsg: Daylinght Savings Time begins 3/11. Your device needs to be updated to reflect correct time & date. Visit Cingular.com/dst2007 from your PC for info

only four days late, but at least the message was free.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
Worst
Customer Service
Ever

ipv6 factoid of the day

So I’m reading an article on ipv6 found on slashdot today and it gave this little quote:

To put this into perspective: there are currently 130 million people born each year. If this number of births remains the same until the sun goes dark in 5 billion years, and all of these people live to be 72 years old, they can all have 53 times the address space of the IPv4 Internet for every second of their lives. Let nobody accuse the IETF of being frugal this time around.

the originating article is here

too much customer service?

I mentioned that my truck got hit while parked on the street. It seemed fairly minor, and I only took it in to the appraisal to get it checked so I could claim the valid loss on my taxes. I figured if I fixed anything I’d just do it myself and leave the dent in mainly as I plan to just drive it into the ground anyway. But as the damage was over $1000 I figured I’d just get it done. So I was told it could be done as early as wednsday but probably not later than friday.
I get a call Tuesday saying the car won’t be ready on Wednsday but probably Thursday.
I get a call on Wednsday saying it will be ready on Thursday.
I get a call on Thursday saying it won’t be ready today, but it will be ready Friday.
Any bets on tomorrow?

Unchained bloggishness

servers.JPGSeems like I don’t find the time to write ever. Even when I have something, I always find some reason to let it pass. Like the time last week (the week before?) where dell delivered the 160-odd servers for our new mini cluster each packaged in its own individual box complete with power cord, 2manuals, 2 cd’s and service disclaimer, none of which we were going to use. And we spent two days unpacking them and finding places to recycle the cardboard and packageing.
Then there was sunday when I decided to try to surprise Debbie while she was at work by making her favorite dessert creme brulee. I’ve never tried to make it (or even know what it should taste like) but it seemed simple enough, and in the end it turned out delicious, despite being cooked in two phases and enough topping of carmelized sugar to make it like breaking plate glass to get to the custard.
Or the fact that my truck got hit while parked on the street in the middle of the day and whoever did it got away scott free.
And Kirk moved out leaving a couple of stuffed garbage cans and a big empty house that lacks the noise of the two fishtanks that I found aggravating until they were gone and no dog to clean up my kitchen spills.
I guess it’s possible I just need to find a routine that lets me post at some other time besides when I go to bed, but that seems to be the time that is most fitting. I guess I just like hanging with my honey too much to stop and write about something. But when she’s not here I sit up like a petulant child refusing to go to bed, despite the sleep in my eyes.
I’m not tired!
I’m not!
Just 5 more minutes?

Goodbye to Meeko

mandi-n-meeko.jpg

Mandi’s little friend Meeko died today. She had so much love for the little bird, and it was really cute how he played with her and would cuddle up under her chin when I was visiting. I was pretty envious because I always wanted a bird that was that kind of friendly, and I’m sad he’s gone. I know he ment a lot to her and I sat with Mandi awhile and said goodbye to him this evening. I know there’s really nothing I can do more than say I’m sorry, but I wish there was more.

Underwater Camera

fish.JPG
I figured if I’m a-goin’ on a honeymoon I’d like to have a camera and start taking pictures for my family photo album. I’d had my eye on the Pentax W20 waterproof camera after my first kayakin’ adventure where I ended up taking the crappy digital camera out of a ziplock bag, taking a picture or two and rebagging/stowing the camera again. I figured there needs to be an easier way. So santa brought me a late Christmas present and when I was testing it out I decided I could take pictures of the fish from inside the tank.
Of course, the camera also takes dry pictures, but as I’m not photogenic enough this was the best we could do trying to get a picture to put in the Sanpete County paper to announce our wedding.
laughing.jpg

I was actually laughing at the kitten falling off the back of the couch and Kayla snapped the picture.

Singing in the snow

So when I’m trying to leave the haircut appointment I get in the car and grab the brush to wipe off the back window of the rental car while I start the engine. As I’m fully aware that I need to wipe the window, I havn’t shut the drivers side door, and I’ve got my leg hanging out still on the pavement. To my (shortsightedly, I admit) surprise the windshield wipers kick a stream of snow onto the inside of the open door and my foot. I jump out of the car and wipe the snow off the door armrest onto the slushy ground. To my chagrin, I also managed, in that one swipe, to lock the doors to the car. I shut the door, locking the keys inside along with my cell phone, ignition still running, and the wipers going, radio blaring —etc. My car (a beat up pickup truck) has a safety feature to prevent such calamities, but I digress.
Suffice it to say, I didn’t make it back to work before 5:00, and I’ve ended up paying not more (but an unknown amount) than $76 for the 2 minutes it took the AAA man to blood-pressure-cuff the door open large enough to admit a small rod to roll down the window.